Some News for Doon.

[Val]

Of course everything is fine. Mainly due to the fact that the Scots didn't vote for independence and therefore the rest of the UK will bail them out of their financial mismanagement.

You assume financial mismanagement by the Scottish Government who have said for many years even during the Labour days pre referendum that not enough was coming from Westminster to run at break even.

So is it mismanagement by the Scottish Government, the UK Government or both?

 

[ColchesterFC]

How foolish of me to think that it might be the fault of the Scottish government that they are spending so much more than they are getting when obviously it is the fault of nasty Westminster for not giving them enough. You give a beggar a fiver and next time he wants a tenner. And yet when anyone questions things such as free health care or free university education in Scotland the response is that it has been costed and budgeted for from the money provided by Westminster and that's where the Scottish government have chosen to spend it. I would question their budgeting skills if they think that is affordable with such a massive deficit.And yes I would apply the same rules to the UK government as well (Labour and Tory) when they run at such a deficit as well. At least they are currently trying to get the UK deficit down to zero whether or not it is actually achieved is another matter. Whereas in Scotland they seem to continue spending like a drunken sailor on a night out knowing that the ships captain will be along to settle the bar tab for them at the end of the night.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Oh get over yourself. Which bit of my statement do you consider to be ignorant?

Is it the fact that I suggested running up a £15 billion deficit is financial mismanagement? Or do you consider this to be sound and sensible financial planning?Or is it the suggestion that the rest of the UK will bail them out? What's the alternative?

Why should Scotland be able to run at such a massive deficit while offering things such as free prescriptions and free university education when these aren't available in England. Are you happy that they are running at such a deficit and that the bill will have to be covered by every UK tax payer?

And as for your other comment about showing that Scotland is not prospering within the UK why do you think things would be better outside of it when the SNP financial predicitions were for oil at $100 a barrel and above?

You should perhaps have a look into the finances associated with these policies and then maybe you'll understand - and here's me thinking it was the Scots who had a chip on their shoulder.

 

[Val]

How foolish of me to think that it might be the fault of the Scottish government that they are spending so much more than they are getting when obviously it is the fault of nasty Westminster for not giving them enough. You give a beggar a fiver and next time he wants a tenner. And yet when anyone questions things such as free health care or free university education in Scotland the response is that it has been costed and budgeted for from the money provided by Westminster and that's where the Scottish government have chosen to spend it. I would question their budgeting skills if they think that is affordable with such a massive deficit.And yes I would apply the same rules to the UK government as well (Labour and Tory) when they run at such a deficit as well. At least they are currently trying to get the UK deficit down to zero whether or not it is actually achieved is another matter. Whereas in Scotland they seem to continue spending like a drunken sailor on a night out knowing that the ships captain will be along to settle the bar tab for them at the end of the night.

Pipe down and digest the question first before going off on a tangent.

The question asked infers that the UK government could have done more to stop the deficit growing long before the oil price dropped. All you did was make noise about University fees and free health care (do you really mean this?). Given that Scotland provide more per % of public revenue than they get back in public spending then surely there is a case for the UK government to re-think it.

The 2 things you highlight i'll address.

Free Health care - I believe all of the UK is entitled to free health care. Care to expand where in England, Wales and NI you pay for health care?

Free university education - Scots don't get charged fee's which may explain the reason that there is a lower percentage of Scots who attend the top Universities in Scotland. It is a business after all.

Interesting to note the deficit in NI was higher than any other UK region, why the sudden dig at Scotland where the deficit rose, as it did everywhere else I believe (happy to be told different as I genuinely don't know).

 

[SocketRocket]

You assume financial mismanagement by the Scottish Government who have said for many years even during the Labour days pre referendum that not enough was coming from Westminster to run at break even.

So is it mismanagement by the Scottish Government, the UK Government or both?

Are Scottish people not getting more per capita from the UK Government than the other UK countries?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Are Scottish people not getting more per capita from the UK Government than the other UK countries?

Have a look at as map of Scotland - that's the bit at the top of England - and have a look to see where outside of the east coast and central belt people live - and you should be able to work out why Scotland gets more per capita - note that the Scottish people individually don't get this money and it isn't spent on them individually.

 

[Val]

Are Scottish people not getting more per capita from the UK Government than the other UK countries?

No, next question

 

[vkurup]

Oil is starting to move up... so in a couple of years, the debate will be reversed... The fact that the rest of the world does not care for a wee sized country best known for whiskey is irrelevant.

 

[chippa1909]

Oil is starting to move up... so in a couple of years, the debate will be reversed... The fact that the rest of the world does not care for a wee sized country best known for whiskey is irrelevant.

Ireland?

 

[Sweep]

You assume financial mismanagement by the Scottish Government who have said for many years even during the Labour days pre referendum that not enough was coming from Westminster to run at break even.

So is it mismanagement by the Scottish Government, the UK Government or both?

What is inescapable is that Scotland is clearly spending more than it is bringing in. That is poor financial management, no matter how you want to dress it up. It's pretty clear that the Scottish people had a lucky escape and the only people who will try to deny this are those who want an independent Scotland whatever the cost.

 

[Val]

What is inescapable is that Scotland is clearly spending more than it is bringing in. That is poor financial management, no matter how you want to dress it up. It's pretty clear that the Scottish people had a lucky escape and the only people who will try to deny this are those who want an independent Scotland whatever the cost.

The same as every other country in the UK I would add. Scotland also get less from central government as a percentage of spending than it contributes so it's very easy to finger point to rights and wrongs.

At the end of the day we are a United Kingdom and the Scottish people voted for it so all these little debates do is produce divides, it's about time they stopped.

 

[vkurup]

SNP wants full fiscal control l, however they are keen to take the income but not the deficit...
As someone already mentioned the whole thing is just political point scoring, the reality is that Scotland is best as part of the UK and it was also the way the wise people of Scotland voted.. so bury the debate, SNP take it on the chin that you f-ed up while Joe public got it right..

(But rational points have no place in politics)

 

[Sweep]

At the end of the day we are a United Kingdom and the Scottish people voted for it so all these little debates do is produce divides, it's about time they stopped.

I agree. It's a shame Mrs Sturgeon doesn't seem to want to let it go.

 

[ColchesterFC]

The 2 things you highlight i'll address.

Free Health care - I believe all of the UK is entitled to free health care. Care to expand where in England, Wales and NI you pay for health care?

Free university education - Scots don't get charged fee's which may explain the reason that there is a lower percentage of Scots who attend the top Universities in Scotland. It is a business after all.

Interesting to note the deficit in NI was higher than any other UK region, why the sudden dig at Scotland where the deficit rose, as it did everywhere else I believe (happy to be told different as I genuinely don't know).

I actually meant free prescriptions as per my previous post but as you've asked the question what about NHS dentists? In England you have to pay for dental check ups and treatment on the NHS (unless you have an exemption for being on benefits etc) so that's not free health care. No idea what the situation is in Scotland with charges for dental treatment but as that wasn't your question I won't bother googling to find out.

 

[Val]

I actually meant free prescriptions as per my previous post but as you've asked the question what about NHS dentists? In England you have to pay for dental check ups and treatment on the NHS (unless you have an exemption for being on benefits etc) so that's not free health care. No idea what the situation is in Scotland with charges for dental treatment but as that wasn't your question I won't bother googling to find out.

We pay for dental treatment too. The only difference England have from the rest of the U.K. from what I see is prescription charges so perhaps you should vent at those in charge of English charges to have them dropped to be the same as the rest of the U.K. rather than constantly finger point at the Scottish government like we are the only ones with it.

For what it's worth, I don't agree on a wholesale policy of free prescriptions and feel these should only be free for those with illnesses that require daily treatment like diabetics, crohns, epilepsy and many others and of course cancer treatments.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I actually meant free prescriptions as per my previous post but as you've asked the question what about NHS dentists? In England you have to pay for dental check ups and treatment on the NHS (unless you have an exemption for being on benefits etc) so that's not free health care. No idea what the situation is in Scotland with charges for dental treatment but as that wasn't your question I won't bother googling to find out.

I think it is generally accepted in Scotland that the cost of administering charging for prescriptions would cost more than the cost of the prescriptions - so sensible to make them free.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I agree. It's a shame Mrs Sturgeon doesn't seem to want to let it go.

She's a Scottish Nationalist - she is never going to let it go. But she doesn't want a referendum in the short term unless she knows she will win it - and I don't think that'll be very soon. Most of the talk about Sturgeon wanting another referendum soon seems to come from those who'd like to portray her as wanting another referendum soon - and these NO folks seem obsessed with talking about a referendum

 

[Hobbit]

She's a Scottish Nationalist - she is never going to let it go. But she doesn't want a referendum in the short term unless she knows she will win it - and I don't think that'll be very soon. Most of the talk about Sturgeon wanting another referendum soon seems to come from those who'd like to portray her as wanting another referendum soon - and these NO folks seem obsessed with talking about a referendum

Hahahahaha - You've obviously not read the text of her spring speech, in which she talks of "launching a fresh drive for independence."

 

[Deleted member 15344]

She's a Scottish Nationalist - she is never going to let it go. But she doesn't want a referendum in the short term unless she knows she will win it - and I don't think that'll be very soon. Most of the talk about Sturgeon wanting another referendum soon seems to come from those who'd like to portray her as wanting another referendum soon - and these NO folks seem obsessed with talking about a referendum

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-35788489

 

[Duckster]

I think it is generally accepted in Scotland that the cost of administering charging for prescriptions would cost more than the cost of the prescriptions - so sensible to make them free.

Can you do my accounts?